The Best Angel Stories 2016

by Guideposts

290 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 2016

About the author

We inspire people to believe anything is possible through faith, hope, and prayer.

In all we create, we affirm the positive, unite rather than divide, and meet people where they are on their spiritual journeys.

Reviews

[Cathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reading these are like eating potato chips. They are light, addicting, and contain little substance. But reading too much of them is like eating too much cotton candy. It's light, airy, and although nothing much is really there, you feel a little sick afterwards from a sugar overdose. I never could take eating much cotton candy, and I couldn't finish this book, either, although it came from a friend.

The introduction claims that these stories were submitted to the editors from different people. Maybe they were, but after awhile, they all seem the same. I suppose people could argue for different reasons for that - whether they were all written by the same people or whether it's because there was some validity to the way things happen - but I found them monotonous, and written for such an easy reading level that they quickly lost appeal.

One book reviewer claims that if he can't finish a book, he rates it a 1. I couldn't finish this book, but I am giving it a 2, because it doesn't seem to be THAT horrible.

Having said that, I do have some issues with the book. Since I couldn't finish the book, I can't answer for all of the stories, but some of them don't seem to be based on the Biblical understanding of angels, although there is an occasional Bible verse included. For a better basis in learning about angels, I recommend Kathleen Bostrom's "Are Angels Real?" It's a children's book, but every couplet of the poem comes from a Bible verse included in the back.

For instance, Bostrom's rhyme:

"Now, maybe you think it would be lots of fun
To be a real angel when this life is done.
We won't become angels, but that is OK ..."

was related to Mark 13:27 (and there are probably others.)

I think that's a common misconception about angels, furthered by such TV shows as "Highway to Heaven" or "It's a Wonderful Life."

Or here's another of Bostrom's couplets:

"Yet when you have something important to say,
It's God, not the angels, to whom you should pray."

was related to Colossians 2:18 and Revelation 19:9-10.

That's the biggest issue for me with "The Best Angel Stories." When our thinking about angels obscures our worship and awe of God, then it has gone too far.

I have another warning, though. I noticed that this book is published by "Guideposts," which I used to read occasionally at my grandmother's house throughout my childhood. But "Guideposts" has a dubious beginning, associated with Norman Vincent Peale and his "Power of Positive Thinking," which also derailed some Biblical truth in favor of feel-good ... well, positive thinking. While having a good attitude can be helpful, Peale took it to unhealthy extremes. My caution is that Biblical truth is not too important to "Guideposts," and I think they've gotten worse over the years.

I do believe in angels, and sometimes I do wonder ...

[Jennifer Robb · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book came to me through 2 different friends. I remember one friend stating about books like these that it is difficult to remember individual stories when they are read one right after the other. So I decided to space out the stories reading between 1 and 3 at a time. Most stories have a feel-good, even hopeful, vibe but even with spacing them out, I still couldn't say that I remember individual stories from the book.

[Tomi Alger · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is full of stories of angel connections with people in a variety of circumstances, such as accidents, health issues, fires, or storms. The angels include heavenly beings, human helpers, and animals. Some were even people and animals who had already died who helped out. For some stories, there is not rational explanation. But, no matter what, the stories are encouraging.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!